Barnwell Ramsey of Huntersville, North Carolina marked 222 for a 4.5-point win in the Rios of Mercedes Amateur finals Tuesday at the Jerry's Chevrolet NCHA Futurity presented by Great American Insurance. He rode Reyzurbetsonthiscat, a Bet Hesa Cat gelding bred by Linda Holsey. The gelding is out of Ariel Rey, a mare Kathy Daughn rode to win the West Texas Futurity, and an earner of $99,000. Ariel Rey's babies include Melodys Pepto ($135,000) and Jay Moss Cougar ($120,000).
Ramsey has been a finalist seven times at the Super Stakes and NCHA Summer Spectacular, but this was his first NCHA Futurity finals. He's also a semi-finalist in Wednesday's Unlimited Amateur.
Blake Graham of Rockledge, Georgia, took the reserve championship with a 217.5 on Zacks Smoothie. The Smooth As A Cat mare was bred by Carroll's Cutting out of Zacks Holly Echo.